Recipe: Chewy Maple Spice Cookies

It's beginning to feel a lot like Fall around here, and that puts things infused with maple and pumpkin and lovely warming spices into my mind.

These cookies, based on this recipe, have the maple and the spices, and the lovely chewiness.  (Pumpkin recipes will come.. and I have plenty in the archives.)

Chewy Maple Spice Cookies

1/4 c shortening
1/4 c butter, softened
1 c packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c pure maple syrup (Vermont, if possible, of course - says the Vermonter. I may be biased)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c coconut

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Mix in egg, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Whisk the dry ingredients together and then stir into wet ingredients.  Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.  Enjoy!